Chenille sewing machine



Feb. 6, 1951 L MONTGOMERY 2,540,901

CHENILLE SEWING MACHINE Filed Jan. 16, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb 6, 1951 J. MONTGOMERY 2,540,901

CHENILLE SEWING MACHINE Filed Jan. 16, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 32 .ib/ius Moniga/ery Feb. 6, 1951 J. MONTGOMERY CHENILLE SEWING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 16, 1948 Patented Feb. 6, 1951 CHENILLE SEWING MACHINE Julius Montgomery, Calhoun, Ga., assignor to Shepherd Brothers Spread Company, Calhoun,

Ga., a partnership` Application January 16,1948, Serial No. 2,775

(Cl. i12- 79) 10 Claims.

The invention relates to chenille sewing, and more particularly to machines for sewing chenille patterns on a fabric. It is especially designed for the sewing of curving rows of chenille tufts.

Various types of chenille sewing machines have been used in the past, but most of these sew in a straight line of tufts, or require that the fabric be moved in varying directions to form a pattern. In making large bed spreads or the like, the move ment of the fabric in changing directions requires considerable labor and skill, and the work is quite slow.

The primary object of the present invention is 'to provide a machine which is capable of producing chenille patterns of varying types on a fabric tion of such parts as are needed to accomplish the desired result.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide, on opposite sides of a fabric holding means, a needle and a loop holding hook (preferably combined with a cutter), the needle and hook being mounted and driven to move in corresponding paths, preferably circular paths; in combination with means for feeding the fabric. The needle 'and hook then cooperate to form loops (or tufts if a cutter is used) on the lower side of the fabric, the hook holding the loops extended when the needle is withdrawn.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a machine for sewing several lines cf chenille simultaneously in a pattern ofY intersecting curved lines, and more especially for sewing simultaneously a plurality of trochoids of chenille.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear more fully from the following description, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which form a part thereof.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 shows in side elevation, with parts broken away, a sewing machine embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear View of the machine;

Fig. 3 shows in front elevation, with. .parts broken away, the needle guiding and operating portion of the machine;

` Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a front elevation thereof; Y

Figs. 10 and 11 are cross-sections on the lines V Ill-I0 and Il-II respectively of Fig. 8;

I Figs. 12 to 14 show three different positions of the needle, hook and cutting mechanism during the making of a stitch;

Fig. 15 shows in top plan View the needle mechanism of the machine;

Fig. 16 is a plan View of the throat plate of the machine;

Fig. 17 is a plan view of the presser foot; and

' Figs. 18 to 20 show different patterns produced by such machine.

As shown in the drawings, the machine includes a base or table 2 with an upright 4 sup- .porting arm 6. Through the arm extends main shaft 8 which can be driven by a motor through pulley Ill adjacent hand wheel I2. A second pulley I4 is connected -by a belt to needle shaft I5 mounted in bearings I8 above arm 6. This shaft through chain and sprocket connection 2l) ldrives the hook turning shaft 22 mounted in bearings 24 below table 2.

1 Main shaft 8 also has an eccentric at 2S which reciprocates link 28 connected to rock lever 3] on hook operating shaft 32 located below the table in bearings 34. Link 2B extends through the hollow upright 4. At its front end, main shaft 8 has a crank 35 connected by link 33 to a block di), the purpose of which will be described below. -f Needle shaft I6 at its forward end carries a Vworm' 42 engaging a worm wheel 44. This worm wheel has a central downwardly projecting trunnion having at its lower end a ange 46, this trunnion being held in a bearing 48 to mount the wheel for turning. Upstanding from wheel 44 are two posts 5o connected at their tops by a `disc 52. Needle bar 54 extends slidably through Valigned central openings in wheel 44 and disc 52. Secured to the needle bar is a disc 56 (see Fig. 5) having openings slidable on posts 50, so that the needle bar can slide up and down 'through wheel 44 but is forced to turn about its .axis as the wheel turns.

--....Block..4.(seeFig. -6) is formed in two parts held together by screws or the like. Needle bar 54 has a section 53 of reduced cross section into whichr the two block members engage. so that the needle bar moves up and down with the block but can turn freely in it. At its lower end, the needle bar carries atransverse arm 60 in which are mounted three needles 62. so that as the needle barkturns the needles move in a circular path around theneedle bar axis.

On disc 52 is mounted a carrier |24 support- Y ing three balls 25 of yarn, which is led through guides |28 and tension devices I3!)Y tothe top gf the needle bar, which is in the form of a'ihollow tube. The three yarns pass downward through the bar to the three needlesQand'tle needle bar acts as a takeup for all three threads, as will be explained below. H Below the table, and beneath the needlelmechanism, is the loop forming and cutting mechanism (Figs. 7 to 1l). This mechanism is carried kbya ring le secured on a sleeve'IB having a large central opening. Sleeve 16 (Fig.` 10) cantu'rn in an opening in plate 'i8 mounted below ztable '12, and'is held in this opening by ringjsecured on 4its lower end. The periphery of ring 'M has. worm gear teeth meshing with'worm B2 onsh'a'ftZZ.

Ring 'i4 has on opposite 'sides upstanding Lshaped ears 85. vMounted in these ears are a hoo'krcarrying shaft 88 A,and a cutter carrying sha'ft'Q. Shaft 88 has secured on it a rocklever 92 connected by link 95 extending throughthe central opening of sleevey 'I5 to a'ball yand soket joint Q6 onarm 98 secured to Shaft 3:2. `Shaft .88 also carries a lever Iii in which are mounted three loop-holding'hooks |02., A thirdlever |94 on shaft 58 is connected `bylink vIlnto lever, |08 on yshaft 9B. This shaft has three cross pinsgl ||l in which are secured cutters I |2these being thin pieces of spring metal each resiliently pressing against one side face of one of the hooks |02.,

A bracket IIG extends upwardly and'inwardly from ring lll to a point above the centerof .the ring, where it carries a throat'4 plate element II'B extending outward to apoint below needles 62. Aligned with needles 62 are 'throat openings I I8, `these being in the `form of 'notches'openi'rig in .the trailing edge of element I IB.

The machine so fardescribed Vis'substantially isimilar to. that .shown in my earlier application Serial No. 746,439, filed May?, 1947.

The device therein disclosed produces 'concentric circles of chenille tufts on arfabricj'by holding the fabric stationary while the needles 'and cooperating tuft forming devices moved A`in concentric circular paths.V I have now foundthat different types of patterns maybe produced if the fabric is moved as the needles tur'n,'prefer 'ably in a straight une. with such aproedure, each needle forms a line of stitches in the form of a trochoid. Depending on the rate offeedas compared with the rate of radiusof rotation of 'the needle, such curve maybe either a'cycloid or a prolate or curtate trocho'id. t l Y For accomplishing this feeding,`I mayusethe arrangement now to be described. l VThe presser foot (see Figs. 3 and 17) is mounted lin the usual manner on a vertically slidable bar ffii?.V resiliently pressed'downward by 4springmlll Aand capable of being lifted and held in raised position by lever e5. The presser foot includes A.a fiat portion 66 having around opening 69 therein of a diameter somewhat greater than that of the path of the outermost needle. The .table 2 below Vthepresser foot has a similar open- 4 ing 1l) therein, plate I I5.

At one edge, the presser foot also has a curved flange portion B7. This portion fits closely around toothed wheels 68 mounted on a shaft II mounted in bearings l2 carried by table 2.

Shaft 1| is driven through worm gear |32 and worm |33 by a transverse shaft |34 mounted Lbelow"table 2. shaft ist in turn is driven through worm gear |35V and worm |36 by shaft |31, itself `driven by pulleys and belting |38 from shaft |39.

The latter is driven by pulleys and belting |40 A`"from" needle shaft 6.

"openingllll, "Iheimachine is now operated, and

fthe'needls. When theV needles approach`-their `low`estepovs`itions, the hooks'advancel to a position just onv the outside .of the needles (Fig..12)lwher`e Vlth'ey'k'enga'"ge inl the `loops of thread `The needles then are retracted to the position shownl in Fig. 13,

.the hQ-ls. balding the woes in .extended 'position fbelowkthe cloth. As the needles reach their highest positions (Fig. 14) thefc'ut'ters I i 2 advance upiii/ard.V This series of operations is repeated to cast :a series offloops oneach needle. Afterthejsecond or third loops are cast on, the loopslarepushed 4one by one into the Vpaths of cutters I |12 (see Fig.

.14.) land are cut thereby to form tufts onl the lower side of the fabric. Y n

The needle and the hook andfcuttng mechanisrnV move in unison in a circular path during Y, this operation,v vThe throat plate Velement I Iiialso yturns with the needles, Vso as-tO Support the cloth at all times. Since the throats i lil open onV the side of the throat element where .loopsrhavealreadybeenformed that iaonthetrailing edge,

thenforrned loops or tufts do not interfere with themovement of this element. U Y l Y* ...esima-needles and needle bar more upwardly from the position shown inig.V 12 the loops, are

,if less, a prolate trochoid.

yarn is held against upward movement. gAs'the topof the needle bar rises, thereforaitpulls additional thread through kthe tension mechanisms .sofas tohprovide'the slack Afr )rwthenext loops as A.the needles Vagain move down .through `the .fab-

iclilsfthe needles are'forming tufts at-various pointsaround the periphery of circles having the needlebar axis as their centers, the'lothwhichis engaged between presser foot Vportion 5T and wheelswES isVV fed across the fmachine. If* the lineal rate of feedrjust equalstheperipheral speed of an eedle,.that needle'will form aseries of tufts -in acyl'cloidalcurve. If the needledspeed isigreaterythe resultingcurvewill oe a curtate trochoid;

K By varying the relativespeeds,` ,asfhyrchang ing the belt and pulley drives |33, |49, these `different types ofcurves may be produced. Fig. 18 shows a'jpattern in whichthe inner needle forms a cycloid Uil, whilethe other two needles follow within which turns throat Y Obviously, if only one or two needles are mounted in needle holder Se, only one or two trochoidal lines will be formed.

When the pattern is completed, the presser foot is raised, the cloth is shifted so that all the loops are pulled to the backs of the hooks, and the machine is turned, preferably by hand, until the knives or cutters rise and cut these loops to form tufts.

While I have described herein one embodiment of my invention, I wish it to be understood that I do not intend to limit myself thereby except Within the scope of the claims hereto or hereinafter appended.

I claim:

1. In a machine for forming chenille patterns on a fabric, means for feeding a fabric, means for holding a substantial area thereof in taut condition as it is fed, a needle, means mounting said needle for reciprocation in a direction transverse to the fabric held by such holding and feed-- ing means, means to guide said needle to move in a circular path in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the needle, a loop holding hook, means mounting said hook on the cpposite side of said fabric holding means from said needle mounting means, means to move said hook to engage and hold in extended position a loop of flexible material carried throughL the fabric by said needle, means to guide said hook for movement in a circular path corresponding to the path of movement of such needle, and cutting means associated and movable with said hook to cut the loops formed by said needle and hook.

2. ln a device as claimed in claim l, a throat plate element on the opposite side of the fabric from said needle, said element having a slot extending thereinto, and means to guide said element for movement in a patri in which said opening remains aligned with said needle, said slot opening substantially circumferentially of said circular path and on the trailing side of said element.

3. In a device as claimed in claim 2, said feeding means comprising rollers mounted for rotation, a presser foot having a portion engageable with said rollers to press the fabric therebetween, and means to turn said rollers.

4. In a device as claimed in claim 1, said feeding means comprising rollers mounted for rotation, a presser foot having a portion engageable with said rollers to press the fabric therebetween, and means to turn said rollers.

5. In amachine for forming chenille patterns on a fabric, means for feeding fabric, means for holding a substantial area thereof in taut condition as it is fed, a needle carrier mounted for Vreciprccation in a direction transverse to the fabric held by such holding means, means to reciprocate such carrier, said carrier including needle holding means offset from the longitudinal axis thereof, means to rotate said carrier to cause the needle to move in a circular path in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the needle, a member rotatably mounted on the opposite side of said fabric holding means from said needle mounting means, a loop holding hook eccentrically mounted on said member, means to move said hook to engage and hold in extended position a loop of flexible material carried through the fabric by said needle, means to rotate said member so as to move said hook in a circular path corresponding to the path of movement of such needle, and cutting means associated with said hook mounted on said movable member for rotation therewith.

6. In a device as claimed in claim 5, said carrier being hollow for the passage of thread to the needle, and tension means adjacent the end of the carrier remote from the needle.

7. In a machine for forming chenille patterns on a fabric, means for feeding a fabric, means for holding a substantial area of the fabric in a taut condition as it is fed, a plurality of needles, means mounting said needles for joint reciprocation in a direction transverse to the fabric held by such holding means, means to guide said needles to move in concentric circular paths in a direction transverse to the longitudinal. axes of the needles, a plurality of loop holding hooks, means mounting said hooks on the opposite side of said fabric holding means from said needle mounting means, means to move each of said hooks to engage and hold in extended position a loop of flexible material carried through the fabric by one of said needles, means to guide each of said hooks for movement in a path corresponding to the path of movement of one of said needles, and cutting means associated and movable with each of said hooks to cut the loops formed by said needles and hooks.

8. In a device as claimed in claim 7, means t0 hold a plurality of supplies of exible material, and means mounting such holding means to turn with said needles.

9. In a device as claimed in claim 8, said needle mounting means including a needle carrier mounted for reciprocatory and turning movement, said needle carrier being hollow and having needle holding means at one end thereof, said supply holding means being located adjacent the other end of said needle carrier, so that ilexible material from such supplies can extend through said needle carrier to said needles.

10. In a device as claimed in claim 9, 4a plurality of tension means carried by said supply holding means and between such supplies and said needle carrier.

JULIUS MONTGOMERY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

` UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,326,593 Hughes, Jr. Dec. V30, 1919 1,382,976 Hauser June 28, 1921 2,337,529 Tanis et al. Dec. 21, 1943 

